Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/300

 guishes the great tower, and marks it of later times than the body of the church. The buildings adjoining the cathedral, the cloisters, chapel-house, and library, are all constructed in a heavy gloomy style, and rather impress the mind with horror than solemnity on entering them. Vestiges of the splendid superstition of ancient cathedral service are seen in five rich copes, still preserved in the vestry, the dresses worn by the dignitaries of the church four hundred years ago.

The castle of Durham, intended for the bishop's winter palace, (although he be seldom here, except to meet the judges) stands close to the cathedral, on the same inaccessible rocky eminence, and is connected with it by Turnstall-gate, an ancient portal built by the bishop of that name. It is of Norman architecture; the keep probably as ancient as the time of William the Conqueror; originally extremely strong and calculated to keep a jealous eye over, and afford immediate assistance to, the subjacent town, perpetually in danger of incursion from the borderers, during the wars that subsisted between the English and Scotch. In conformity to this intention of strength and security in the edifice, which precluded elegance and lightness, all within is gloomy and sombrous. A monstrous hall first receives the visitor, one hundred and